painting furniture

This is not a tutorial, but more of a before and after look at what a little paint can do! It's so easy to paint furniture, just google it and you can find hundreds of websites with good instructions. I kept it easy by using basic instructions, and listened to the guy at Home Depot on what paint to buy and what supplies I would need.

(Please excuse the bad pictures, momma needs a new camera)

no before (it was brown),

but I love the yellow for the kids room

dresser painted a nice white

(still needs new knobs)

side table painted a nice minty green

quilt rack painted white

We moved!

We moved. Literally! I have spent the last four weeks unpacking and decorating the new house. It's been fun, and yet difficult with absolutely no money to put into it. But, one of my favorite things when styling parties or decorating is having the satisfaction of doing it with what I already have in my hands. Mark and I have kept antique items over the years, I never throw away old frames or get rid of items I use for a party, and I research a lot! It takes a lot of planning, a bit of creativity, and the ability to be okay with the fact that something might not be exactly the way you want it. But it's so worth it. And, sometimes it turns out better than you imagined! I am excited to share some of our projects with you over the next few weeks. Stay tuned!

2013 & future lovelies

Welcome 2013! It's a new year and I am rededicating myself to Lovely Things. So feel free to start visiting me again so that we can finish what we started many many years ago. xo, Amanda

Our 2012 Family Halloween Picture

good reminder

easy and yummy

My new favorite last minute dinner is..... meatball sandwiches. Now I prefer to make all of our own meals and eat real food, but there are times that I need something in a flash. So here is my go-to recipe.

Trader Joe's Meatballs (they are frozen and already cooked)
1 jar of Organic Marinara Sauce
Good rolls or sandwich buns
Provolone cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat the meatballs and marinara sauce in a pan on stovetop. Cook on low for 20 minutes. Take your buns and remove some of the bread to make a well for the meatballs. Add  meatballs and some sauce to each bun and then cover with provolone cheese. Put on a baking sheet for about 4 minutes. Enjoy!

I can't wait to possibly perfect my own meatball recipe and keep them in the freezer. Until then, I love this substitution.

new recipe and a cute food lover

This cute kid eats anything. He was excited to help me make stuffed bell peppers. He ate them all up too. Our third born is our little food lover. 

Here is a delicious recipe (you can also find here) for Taco Stuffed Bell Peppers:

Taco Stuffed Peppers

6 medium sweet bell peppers
1 Tbs salt
1/2 C cooked couscous
2 Tbs olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 14oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 green onions, sliced
1-2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 black pepper, plus more to taste
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
3/4 C Mexican blend cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare peppers by washing, slicing tops off, and removing insides. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. Boil whole peppers for about 3-4 minutes, until they begin to soften. Remove from water with tongs and place on paper towels to drain.

Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add corn, beans, green onions, taco seasoning, kosher salt, and pepper. Stir until corn and beans are heated through, about 5 minutes. Place peppers in a baking dish. Remove skillet from heat and add couscous, tomatoes, and 1/2 cup cheese. Stir to combine well and give it a taste. Add additional salt, pepper, and taco seasoning to your liking. Then evenly divide mixture between peppers. Top peppers with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

fav

It is safe to say that this is one of my favorite photos ever. My husband and my son together. Thank you to our friend Steve at Threaded Films for capturing this moment forever.

sugar & spice

Head over to my Family and Frills blog at ocfamily.com to see more picture from the Sugar & Spice baby shower I co-hosted!

talk about lovely

My friend Merisa was featured on Apartment Therapy. I am so in love with her sweet little home. 

Talk about lovely!

For the rest of the Home Tour go here!